Comparison of Postural Control Mechanisms during Quiet Standing between Healthy Children and Children with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To identify the difference of postural control mechanisms between healthy children and children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP) METHOD: Nineteen children with spastic diplegic CP and 22 healthy children were enrolled. Pressure data were recorded while subjects stood on the dual force platform and net body coordinates of center-of-pressure (COP) were calculated. Outcome measurements included net body COP calculations for path length, medio-lateral and antero-posterior displacements, and correlation coefficients between parameters representing ankle, hip and transverse body rotation mechanisms. RESULTS: Children with CP showed more medio-lateral and antero-posterior displacements compared to healthy children. The coordinate of net body COP showed more correlation with transverse body rotation parameters for both medio-lateral and antero-posterior rections, and less correlation with ankle mechanism parameters for medio-lateral direction in children with CP. The visual information did not show a significant influence on keeping balance during quiet standing in children with CP. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the ankle control mechanism for medio-lateral balance control during quiet standing was less used in children with CP. The transverse body rotation mechanisms contributed more significantly to postural control during quiet standing in children with CP.